Dear Editor

November 28, 2013

Dear Editor,

As Culver City residents we are so lucky to have our former Mayor, Councilmember and City Clerk Christopher Armenta running for the 54thDistrict State Assembly seat (that’s our District!) to replace now State Senator Holly Mitchell.

Chris is a lifelong resident of Culver City. He has been educated in our schools, raised his own family here and served our community in so many ways that have benefited our lives. Experience and years of public service count, and when he is elected to the State Assembly on December 3 Chris will be your voice in Sacramento.

What you may not know is that while campaigning for public office in Culver City, Chris represented you and not big business. He steadfastly refused to take money from oil companies and tobacco, insurance and billboard companies. He also refused money from GMO corporations and developers -- companies that are interested in profit and not public health and safety.

His policy is the same as he campaigns for the December 3rd election – no money from oil companies and big business will ever find its way into his campaign funds.

Where does Chris stand on issues that affect you each and every day? The first involves the air you are breathing as you read this letter. The air in Culver City is affected by the toxins from the oil fields in our city and the fracking process from the neighboring oil froduce more oil and increase their revenue at the expense of our health and safety.

Our homes, schools, parks, restaurants and businesses are adjacent to oil fields where fracking is a daily event. Fracking is not only a leading cause of toxicity in the air we breathe and the water we come in contact with regularly, but fracking is also a contributor to the dangers of earthquakes and gas leaks.

Christopher Armenta has been a strong opponent of fracking since this serious problem first came to the attention of our City leaders and residents. Along with his fellow Council Members, he sued Los Angeles County and the PXP oil company to get health and safety protections for the Culver City neighborhoods surrounding the oil fields.

His goal is to have a total ban on fracking to reduce/eliminate the risks of cancer, respiratory diseases, and other health problems.

Your health and your safety are Chris’ #1 priority.

Where does Chris stand on other issues that directly affect our daily lives? Besides the ban on fracking, Chris intends to work hard to protect and strengthen the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), promote legislation and funding for Light Rail grade separations that will be based on traffic and safety conditions, and improve and protect education, our youth, seniors, pets, healthcare, jobs and the economy.

As Mayor, Councilmember and City Clerk, Christopher Armenta’s efforts regularly benefited all of us in Culver City. His 25-plus years of experience as an accountant and auditor skillfully assisted our City through the terrible economic crisis that has affected all of us in one way or another. He achieved this without cutting our public services.

The list of his accomplishments goes on and on.

With Christopher Armenta as our representative and voice in Sacramento, you will have peace of mind in knowing that your interests will be heard, protected and advanced and that based on his many years of public service, he can handle every challenge. Our community believes in Chris, and he already has the support of our current and former Council Members, School Board Members, and many other leaders and residents.

We need Christopher Armenta working for us in Sacramento. With your vote for Chris on December 3 you will have a representative to serve you and ensure that you have a safer, healthier and better future.